WASHINGTON, D.C.  John Baker thinks he knows the cure to what ills the Padres.

“Every night, we convince ourselves that we’re facing one of the two or three best pitchers in the game,” the reserve catcher said Tuesday afternoon after the Padres made quick work of their long-awaited inaugural meeting with native son Stephen Strasburg to defeat Washington 6-1 at Nationals Park.

“Roy Halladay, Stephen Strasburg, no problem.”

Baker, of course, was joking.

But in the span of four days, the Padres became the first team since 2009 to hand two-time Cy Young Award winner Halladay two losses in the same season, then scored four runs on Strasburg in the span of four innings.

Not only did the Padres defeat the 23-year-old Strasburg with the bat, their own Anthony Bass out-pitched the former San Diego State All-American, allowing one run – 19-year-old Bryce Harper’s second homer in as many games – on five hits in his second eight-inning effort over his last four starts.

“Anthony was outstanding,” said Padres manager Bud Black. “He was in control of this game. It’s a big step, going up against a guy like Strasburg and beating him.”

Black was talking about his pitcher. But he might as well have also been talking about his hitters, who struck for four runs on seven hits – including a third-inning homer by James Darnell – against a heralded right-hander who in his seven previous 2012 starts hadn’t allowed a run before the fourth inning.

The Padres, who struck for three in the first Tuesday, were paced by Will Venable and Baker.

Venable fell a home run short of being the first Padre to ever hit for the cycle, going 4-for-5 with a double, a triple, two singles, a stolen base and a RBI.

Baker was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI.

Baker’s rain-delayed, two-run, two-out single in the first capped the biggest inning against Strasburg this season.

The first opened with lead-off man Venable hitting a high fly to short left center that fell in for a double as Nationals left fielder Roger Bernadina, center fielder Rick Ankiel and shortstop Ian Desmond all pulled up expecting someone else to make the play.

After Cameron Maybin struck out, Chase Headley walked on a full-count pitch. Yonder Alonso then drove in Venable with a line-drive single to right to make it 1-0. Both Headley and Alonso advanced on Orlando Hudson’s swinging bunt in front of the plate. Darnell then walked to bring up Baker with two outs and the bases-loaded.

With the count full, the skies opened above Nationals Park, forcing a short, eight-minute delay. On Strasburg’s first pitch after the game resumed, Baker grounded a two-run single to center to make it 3-0. Andy Parrino flew out to center to end a first inning that saw Strasburg give up three runs on three hits and two walks and throw 39 of the 81 pitches he needed to work four innings.

“We got a break with Venable’s at-bat and we took advantage of it,” said Black. “After that, we had some real good at-bats in the first. We knew we were in tough. And Strasburg was throwing the ball good. But we laid off some borderline pitches.”

Baker said he called upon his experience with rain delays as a member of the Florida Marlins to get the best of Strasburg in the first.

“During the delay, I took myself back to those 7,000 rain delays in Florida,” said Baker. “You have the advantage if the weather is bad and you enjoy being out there, which I do. And I’m thinking when we get back out there with the full count and the weather, he’s going to throw me a fastball, which he did.

“I don’t think Strasburg had the feel for his breaking ball that he usually has. I like him. He pitches like a man. He comes after you. Today just wasn’t his day.”

Venable also thought Strasburg was struggling against the elements. “Maybe he didn’t have his best stuff in the conditions,” said the outfielder who became the 336th Padre to fall a hit short of the cycle – and the 72nd to fall a homer short of the cycle.

Tuesday marked the fourth time that Venable fell a hit short. He needed a homer in one of his final two at-bats for the first cycle in the Padres 42-year history. But he struck out against Nationals left-handed reliever Tom Gorzelanny in the sixth and drove home the Padres' final run with a single in the eighth.

“If it’s going to happen,” said Venable, “it will happen by accident.”

As for his first meeting against the Padres, Strasburg said: “It’s just another game. It would have been more special if it were at Petco Park in front of the home crowd.”